He had truly intended to kill Lydon. Whether it was because Lydon possessed potential that the system deemed dangerous, because he was Cadel Lytos’s knight, or because he was one of the key figures who would lead the war to victory—none of that mattered.

Cadel must not be allowed to choose death because of him. Cadel must not be allowed to abandon the war, abandon the world, just to save one person. This was their last chance. How could he stand by and watch as the one who swore an oath fell into the abyss just before reaching his goal?

“…….”

But Kunra had no choice but to watch. To watch those desperate movements that continued to charge forward even after being struck down time and time again. To watch the flames that melted the ice at the cost of their wielder’s own life. To watch the hope that refused to be extinguished even as death loomed ever closer—the desperate cries, the prayers, the bonds.

The ice cocoon cracked apart with a jagged, splintering sound, and the underground prison crumbled under the pressure of the surging energy. Yet, even in the face of catastrophe, they did not take a single step back. Cadel’s two subordinates, just as stubborn and reckless as their commander, continued to pound on the ice and call out Lydon’s name.

Kunra, who had been silently observing them, slowly closed his eyes. Amidst the roaring torrents of energy, he remained still.

‘……I see. So this is why it had to be you. It’s because you’re like this that you were able to embrace everyone and promise to break the relentless chain of despair.’

Because even in this horrific war, Cadel could not bring himself to give up on a single one of his subordinates. Because he loved life in this world, the people living in this world, so deeply. Because that fierce love of his refused to wane, no matter what.

So if, in the end, that love could only be repaid with death—if that was all this world could offer him—

‘Then even if the world meets its end, there would be no helping it.’

Kunra’s body scattered, and his energy seeped into the shattered pendant in Cadel’s grasp. No matter what his plans for the future were, if he failed to save Cadel right now, then he had no right to call himself a guardian deity. For what he was protecting was not a single human, but the only hope this world had left.

“Kunra……”

As Kunra’s energy filled him once more, Cadel bit his lip. He fully understood Kunra’s feelings. How absurd, how infuriating it must have been to see the very man who once vowed to save the world so easily throw away his own life. Yet despite that, Kunra still reached out his hand to him, offering a warmth far beyond anything the system could ever provide. And now, all of that warmth was reaching out to Lydon.

Lydon would rise.

“Lydon! Open your eyes!”

At the sound of that hoarse cry, the cracks spreading across the ice cocoon split open with sharp, resonating snaps. Something burst out from the depths of the fissure.

It was a hand. A fully outstretched arm, a scar-ridden hand wide open.

The moment Cadel saw it, he grasped it in a rush. And then—a massive shockwave tore through the underground chamber, and the ceiling began to collapse.

* * *

The upper floors of the castle rose into the sky, while the ground below was swept by a freezing storm. The humans could do nothing but succumb. Without wings, they could neither chase after the airborne castle nor escape the cold. But the fact that they were facing High Demons did not make the situation any different.

For those tasked with guarding the castle walls, stepping foot in the upper floors where the Demon King resided required a ‘qualification’.

“If we slaughter all the humans, an opportunity will come to us! Hurry, I have no intention of freezing to death in a place like this!”

“You talk too much. Use that time to kill at least one more of them!”

Even the High Demons struggled to endure the aftermath of Lydon’s self-destruction. Some surrounded themselves with barriers, while others rapidly regenerated, braving the merciless cold. If this unstable energy broke through the underground, they would be forced to flee with nothing gained.

Thus, before that happened, they had to wipe out the human forces.

And in the face of the High Demons’ murderous intent, the human forces barely held their ground, shielded by the magicians’ barriers and sustained by Garuel’s healing magic.

“If this keeps up, the humans will be at too great a disadvantage. Given that we don’t know when the underground energy will explode……”

Ector deflected another attack, but a long gash appeared across his cheek. The cold had dulled his movements. The fierce winds also made it difficult to see. Whether it was due to the separation of the castle or not, the High Demons’ assaults were far more relentless than when they had first breached the front gate.

Standing beside him, Moritol pulled his bowstring with his battered hands.

“It seems the Scarlet Scales Knight Order has encountered trouble. I don’t know why the fairy went berserk, but if we don’t stop him, we won’t be able to advance any further.”

“Are you saying defense is our best option?”

“I’m saying we should be grateful if we can even manage that. The magicians’ barriers are getting thinner by the moment. At this rate, even Jilliot’s sonic attack alone could wipe out the human forces.”

Jilliot’s demonic energy-infused sound waves relentlessly chipped away at the humans’ stamina. A powerful barrier surrounded her, and she positioned herself among her allies, making it difficult to target her directly.

They had lacked the opportunity to eliminate her early on, and now she remained alive—something they were already paying dearly for.

“If we take out Jilliot, the magicians will be able to conserve a significant amount of mana.”

But how were they supposed to do that? Right now, simply enduring this brutal cold was already a struggle. At that moment—

“Dreyfe! What are you doing?! Hold the formation!”

Ector’s voice was filled with shock as he caught sight of Dreyfe dashing along the castle walls. Dreyfe had been on the frontlines, targeting the main gate, and had continued fighting by relying on Garuel’s large-scale healing magic. His body was already in shreds—calling him a ragged corpse would not be an exaggeration.

Yet, even so, Dreyfe pushed himself forward with all his might, sprinting along the walls. He was determined to land a more devastating blow on the High Demons hovering in the sky. 

Ector, horrified by his son’s reckless charge, hurriedly moved forward to intervene.

“He’s desperately trying to reach us, but in the end, he’s only human. He will never reach the skies.”

Atlas, having anticipated Dreyfe’s attack, mercilessly swung his fan. Sword energy shot forth, colliding with feathers in midair. The resulting shockwave sent Dreyfe’s body flying—he could not withstand the force and plummeted.

“Dreyfe!”

The fall was from a considerable height, but Dreyfe did not die. He had been saved by Garuel, who had spotted him in time.

With the help of healing magic, Dreyfe stood once more. Despite the lingering pain, he clenched his teeth and, in response to Ector’s distant scolding, let out a furious cry.

“What are you all doing?!”

His shout, filled with blood and fury, tore through the bitter wind and resounded across the battlefield. In the brief silence created by his sudden outburst, Dreyfe tightened his grip and forced his voice louder.

“We swore to fight with our lives on the line! We swore to risk everything to reclaim peace! So why—why is no one throwing themselves into battle with the resolve to die?!”

The human forces were already fighting desperately, continuing the battle with all their might. They had no intention of retreating. Everyone believed that.

But Dreyfe did not. Even as he felt the eyes of the High Demons fix on him, he refused to stop voicing his frustration.

“What exactly are you all waiting for? What are you waiting for so desperately that you just keep reinforcing barriers and enduring?! The Scarlet Scales Knight Order? Are you waiting for them to escape the castle and take down all these High Demons for us? Why? Because they always have? Because the Scarlet Scales Knight Order has always led impossible battles to victory? Do you think it’ll be the same this time too?!”

He couldn’t hide his disappointment. But it wasn’t disappointment in his fellow knights. It was disappointment in himself.

What made the Scarlet Scales Knight Order, Cadel, and himself so different? They were all knights. They had all fought countless battles under the banner of protecting the Empire. Before Cadel appeared, Dreyfe had never once bent his knees in hope, waiting for someone else to save the day.

“Because if the Scarlet Scales Knight Order arrives, they’ll do something! Because if they summon the Scarlet Dragon, they’ll turn the tide! That kind of complacency, that pathetic mindset of just holding on, of just not losing ground—that’s not the will of a knight! You can’t reclaim peace with that kind of thinking! So why?!”

Entering the Demon Realm, finding the castle, even breaking through the front gates—it had all been possible because of the Scarlet Scales Knight Order.

Wasn’t it too much?

With so many knights dedicated to defending the Human Realm, did they really look like nothing more than useless fools, incapable of doing anything without the help of a single knight order?

Dreyfe refused to live as an insignificant side character, basking in the glow of the protagonist. And so, he resolved to cast away this sickening dependence once and for all.

“The only thing I believe in is that the Scarlet Scales Knight Order will contain the energy underground. But I have no expectations that they’ll emerge from the castle and fight the High Demons for us! So when they’ve done their part and finally come out—then we’ll be able to say we accomplished something too! We’ll be able to say it with pride, Father!”

Calling out to Ector with sharp determination, Dreyfe forced strength into his trembling body. Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, the eyes of father and son met with perfect clarity. Dreyfe’s face was battered and broken, but his gaze burned fiercely. At that moment, for the first time, Ector felt his son was a stranger.

“This is where I am meant to die.”

His will was something else entirely. It was defiant, as if resisting a predetermined fate. It was provocative, almost reckless. Ector was not the kind of father who would crush that spirit just to keep his son in the safety of a protective cage.

“……I see. I understand.”

With those murmured words of acknowledgment, a shout rang out from behind.

“Jilliot’s attack is coming! Brace yourselves!”

---

TL/N: I truly think Dreyfe deserves a round of applause. He is so steadfast with his own belief, his pride as a knight, and refuses to choose the easy way of leaning on the so-called ‘protaginists’. I admit when he first appeared, I also thought he was a foul-mouthed jerk, but after the whole ‘Cadel in prison arc’, it turned out he was a huge tsundere LOL. Out of three battalion captains, who would have thought Dreyfe would get the most character setting and growing?